The Butcher’s Block is back with episode 20 featuring the legendary production team Sean C & LV. Tune is as they discuss the new project “Loud Dreams”, the difference between making “beats” & “producing” and what happens when you put veterans on songs with newer artists.

Music has magic beyond the aural. Yet, the way listeners digest sound has changed in the digital age. The days of hunting down a record, reading the credits, and absorbing the full packaging experience has been reduced to a download link and a minimal, square graphic.

Acknowledgment of that fact comes in no way as complaint. The evolution of digital distribution of music prompts opportunity to explore new ideas. While online consumption of music isn’t dying, new experiences are still possible. My new agency, All Is Fair is predicated on recovering the magnetic pull of album packaging and amplifying the allure of music’s physical product.

The first project under BAU Music / All Is Fair Agency is an amazing boxset concept, produced by The Alchemist and Budgie (UK), which is housed in a faux book wrapped in leatherette featuring gold foil printing. Al and Budgie’s two separate, mostly instrumental, albums are built exclusively from gospel samples. The resulting beats, incredibly unique and original, provide a canvas for collaborations from Action Bronson, Blu, Prodigy, Roc Marciano, and others. A true collector’s piece, “The Good Book” shares the near religious experience many of us draw from hip-hop. Raw, secular sounds informed by powerful, communal songs.

This is the first step in a journey that began when I anxiously peeled the plastic off BDP’s “By All Means Necessary” tape in the summer of 1988. I’m excited to continue to find new and exciting ways to experience and share music.

Frank The Butcher has teamed with Reebok to give the DMX Run 10 a luxury spin. Coined the “10|15,” in nod to the number of years the shoe was off the market, the FTB version features a Cordura ballistic nylon upper with garment leather overlays. Accentuated by a smoke grey outsole and speckled trail laces, the late-90s classic celebrates its athletic heritage and street-certified style in fresh dress.

“I believed one of the greatest running models ever deserved a premium “welcome back” make over,” said Frank the Butcher. “Replacing traditional athletic meshes for full grain leather, the shoe takes on a superior feel that reflects the legacy of the model.”

Flipping out the traditional Vector at the heel, Frank the Butcher adds a fresh graphic element to the DMX Run with a direct call to the new versions name, “DMX 10|15.” In addition, “DMX” and “10” and “FTB” and “15” are embroidered on the left and right tongue respectively.

The Frank The Butcher / BAU x Reebok DMX Run “10|15” will be available on www.AlwaysBAU.com on Black Friday and on 12/7 at premium Reebok accounts globally.

Episode 18 comes to you from Las Vegas where Frank The Butcher sits with the owner and designer of Gourmet Footwear Greg Lucci. Tune in as they discuss Gourmet’s early days, Lucci’s long history in the fashion industry and the design risks that are necessary to ensure your brand has an identity.

Frank The Butcher launches the second season of his BAU (Business As Usual) brand. The fall offering is an extension of BAU’s inaugural season reinforcing core branding language while introducing French terry pieces. All pieces are cut & sewn specifically for the brand with an emphasis on execution and fit.